Sitting at the Doomadgee court witness bar, Paula Booth spoke of the days before her sister Betty’s death.
Key points:
- Coronal investigation into death of three Aboriginal women who died of rheumatic heart disease in 2019 and 2020
- The investigation was triggered by a Four Corners investigation into the remote deaths in Queensland
- The families of the victims have explained to the investigation the changes they wanted, including the doctors who stayed in the community.
Warning: Aboriginal and island readers of Torres Strait are warned that this article contains images of people who have died
Betty suffered from rheumatic heart disease (RHD), a treatable disease that now affects Australian Aborigines almost exclusively.
“They gave her Panadol and sent her,” Mrs. Booth said.
“When we went to the [Doomadgee] hospital, we were there all day. She was sitting all day in the waiting room in a chair. “
The next day, Betty died. Hers is one of three RHD deaths that occurred in the remote Queensland community from 2019 to 2020.
Other women who died included Kaya George and Adele Sandy.
The deaths, which were investigated by Four Corners earlier this year, are now the subject of a coronal investigation that has begun today.
Yvette Booth, Shakaya George and Adele Sandy had severe RHD and died a year later after seeking treatment at Doomadgee Hospital. (Supplied)
The first session of the investigation heard from the families of the deceased.
The use of Panadol for the treatment of health emergencies, poor communication, long waiting times at Doomadgee Hospital, and the need for better staffing, were marked by families as problems.
Stop this “Panadol nonsense”
Mrs. Sandy’s husband, Edgar, told the investigation that the use of painkillers to treat patients presenting to Doomadgee Hospital with severe health conditions was still common.
Doomadgee Hospital is located in the far northwest of Queensland. (Four corners: Louie Eroglu ACS)
“My brother has a heart problem and the other day he went to the hospital with chest pains and they gave him painkillers and told him to go home,” he said.
Betty’s relatives agreed.
“They’re still handing out Panadol through the grate,” Ms. Booth said.
“We need to put an end to this Panadol nonsense,” Betty’s brother said in the room.
It calls for a better staffing
Currently, Doomadgee Hospital has different doctors coming in and out flying.
A relative of Betty said the inconsistencies in the investigation occurred due to doctors coming in and out.
“One day you see a doctor and the next day you see a different doctor again and you have to give all your information again,” the relative said.
Surviving relatives are among those asking for answers. (Four Corners: Louie Eroglu ACS)
Sandy said the community needed more permanent service.
“We need better staff at the hospital,” he said.
“We need doctors who really like working with our people, not those who come in a couple of days and then leave.”
Families also highlighted communication with staff and the treatment of Aboriginal patients as areas in need of improvement.
“My brother will come in and sit in the waiting room and the staff won’t ask if he’s okay,” Sandy said.
Martin Evans, Betty’s uncle, said more community involvement was needed.
“Health needs to do better,” he said.
“They should convene a meeting with the community, sit down and talk to all of us, so that there is nothing more to point to each other.
“We do it with the Royal Flying Doctors.”
We need doctors to “stay here”
Kaya’s mother, Weenie George, spoke to the ABC before the investigation.
Kaya’s mother, Weenie George, hopes the investigation will bring about significant change. (ABC North West Queensland: Larissa Waterson)
He said a larger investment was needed to attract a doctor to the community more permanently.
“We’ve had doctors who have lived in the community for six or ten years and that was good,” he said.
“The staff here, sometimes you feel like you’re tired of coming in.
“We need doctors to come in and stay here in the community.”
Today’s hearing was the first of three sessions held as part of the coronal investigation.
The next session will last four days, starting on August 15 in Cairns.
The third and final session will be held in Cairns on September 12 and will run for three days, after which presentations will be accepted.
“At the end of the day, we need a change,” Mrs. George said.